Dispensing faucet



Dec. 11, 1951 HARR DISPENSING FAUCET Filed June 24, 1948 IN V EN TOR. E 455112, BY

Patented Dec. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Glaims.

This invention relates to improvements in dispensing faucets of the general type disclosed in my prior United States Letters Patent No. 2,416,- 582, dated February 25th, 1947, and which are operative to control dispensing flow of a plurality of liquids respectively from independent supply sources. Faucets of this type are provided with a plurality of liquid intake means adapted to be respectively connected to independent sources of different liquids, such e. g. as a body liquid and a flavoring liquid; both intake means being adapted to be controlled by a valve mechanism which is operable by a single actuating means.

:It is an object of this invention to provide an improved construction of control valve mechanism for faucets of the above stated type, whereby the opening and closing of the two intake vmeans may be coordinated so as to function in a desired relatively timed relation.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a dispensing faucet having the improved valve mechanism of this invention, the faucet being shown in closed condition; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, showing an initial stage of opening movement of the valve mechanism; and Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the completion of the opening movement of the valve mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a view, similar to that of Fig. 2, but

showing a modified arrangement of the valve mechanism, whereby initial stage of the opening movement of the valve mechanism opens the flavoring liquid intake, while the body liquid intake still remains closed; and Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing the full opened position of the valve mechanism for dispensing and mixing the body and flavoring liquids.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corre sponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the dispensing faucet comprises a faucet body Ill having an'internal chamber II from which leads a discharge spout 12. In its inner end portion, said faucet body 10 is provided with an enlarged valve chamber I3, which is provided with a. valve seat It at the juncture thereof with the faucet chamber H. Said valve chamber [3 provides the intake for a body liquid which is to be dispensed through the faucet. In its outer end portion, said faucet body I is provided with an outwardly closed slideway I which is inwardly open toward the faucet chamber ll. Mounted to slidably reciprocate in said slideway I5 is a valve piece Iii, which is provided at its inner end with a slide valve section [1, preferably forming an integral part thereof. Said slide valve section I! is of reduced thickness, and is so shaped as to provide a fiat horizontal face It at its upper side.

Connected with the wall of the faucet body is an intake means for admission of one liquid, such e. g. as a flavoring liquid, to the faucet. Said intake means comprises a housing boss it having an axial bore in opposition to the slide valve section ll of the valve piece 16. Said bore 20 is provided with an outwardly open internally screw-threaded portion 2| at its outer end. Slidably mounted in the bore 20 of said housing boss I9 is a thrust block 22 which is provided with an axially disposed intake passage 23. To the lower end of said thrust block 22, which is opposed to the flat face [8 of the slide valve section II, is a suitably aifixed perforate resilient sealing washer 24 which engages and bears upon said face I8 of the slide valve section ll in sealing relation thereto; the opening of said sealing washer 24 being aligned with the intake passage 23 with which said thrust block 22 is provided. Said thrust block 22 and its sealing washer 24 is yieldably urged toward the face It of said slide valve section H by a compression spring 25 which is disposed between the upper end of the thrust block 22 and a gland member 26 which is threaded into the outer portion of said housing boss 19. Connected with said thrust block 22, so as to communicate with its intake passage 23, is a supply conduit 27. Said supply conduit 27 extends outwardly through the gland member 26. Extending perpendicularly through the slide valve section I! of the valve piece I6 is a valve port 23 for cooperation with said intake passage 23.

Associated with the free end portion of the slide valve section H, with which the valve piece [6 is provided, is a valve head 29. Said valve head 29 is disposed within the valve chamber 13 which provides the intake means for admission of the other liquid, such e. g. as a body liquid, to the faucet. The valve head 29 is preferably yieldably urged by a compression spring 30 into engagement with the valve seat l4 (but may be closed upon the valve seat by the body liquid where the latter is under pressure, in which case the spring 30 may be omitted), whereby to normally close the internal chamber l l of the faucet against flow of the body liquid therethrough. Said compression spring 30 is suitably backed for thrust upon the valve head 29, one illustrative means for this purpose, as shown, comprises a perforate spider 3| which is suitably supported within the body liquid supply conduit 32 to which the faucet body is coupled.

The valve head 29 is provided with lost motion connection to the free end portion of the slide valve section l1, and to this end is provided with a forwardly extending axial stem 33 which is slidably telescoped into an axial slideway 34 with which said free end portion of the slide valve section I1 is provided. By reason of this lost motion connection between the valve head 29 and the slide valve section H, the latter, when the valve piece I6 is actuated, is capable of independent initial movement before it engages and unseatsthe valve head, with consequent advantages to be subsequently herein more particularly set forth.

The valve piece it and its slide valve section i1 is adapted to be axially reciprocated by an external hand lever 35 which is pivotally mounted by suitable means on and in connection with the outer end portion of the faucet body l9. Said hand lever is provided at its inner end with a lever arm 36 adapted to engage a slot 3'] with which the outer end portion of the valve piece i6 is provided, whereby movements of the hand lever produce operative movements of the valve piece and its slide valve section.

The advantage of the lost motion connection between the slide valve section I? and the valve head 29 is that it permits a better coordinated timed relation of the opening of the flavoring liquid and body liquid intake means, thus avoiding premature opening of the valve head 29, and undesirable discharge of body liquid in advance of the discharge of flavoring liquid, resulting in an excess of the former proportionally to the latter, an consequent production of an undesirably diluted beverage or other mixture.

It is desirable that the valve piece [6 and its slide-valve section ll be permitted a reasonably long stroke or amplitude of reciprocable movement, so that, when the faucet is closed, the valve port 28 is well removed or offset from the liquid intake passage 23 and the sealing washer 24, whereby to assure effective sealing by the latter upon the face ill of the slide valve section ll against leakage. If the valve head 29, however, is directly affixed to the free end of the slide valve section H, and the desirably long stroke of the latter is allowed for, it will be obvious, immediately the slide valve section II begins to move, that the valve head 29 would be unseated and flow of body liquid permitted for an appreciable time before the valve port 28 is carried into alignment with the intake passage 23, and flow of flavoring liquid thus initiated. Due to the lost motion connection between the slide valve section I1 and valve head 29, as provided in accordance with the instant invention, the valve port 28 may be suitably disposed for desired offset relation to the intake passage 23 when the faucet is closed, and yet be brought into position for quick opening of the intake passage 23 by the initial independent movement of the slide valve section l1.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the disposition of the valve port 28 may be such that by the time the free end of the actuated slide valve section I! takes up the lost motion between the same and the valve head 29, and is thus caused to abut the latter, the valve port 28 has been moved to a position ready to crack the intake passage 23 (see Fig. 2), so that, upon completion of the operative stroke of the slide valve section ll, the valve head 29 will be moved off the valve seat l4 substantially simultaneously with the opening of the intake passage 23 (see Fig. 3), and consequently substantially simultaneous discharge of the flavoring and body liquids will occur in desired proportional relation.

The provision of the lost motion connection between the slide valve section I! and the valve head 29 also lends itself to a disposition of the valve port 28, relative to the free end of said slide valve section, so that, on initial independent movement of the actuated slide valve section, the valve port 28 may be caused to open the intake passage 23 in advance of the opening of the valve head 29, whereby flavoring liquid can be dispensed independently of and separately from the body liquid (see Fig. 4). This is of advantage with respect to the faucet when it is put to use for soda fountain service, in connection with which at times dispensing of flavoring liquid or syrup alone is often desirable, as e. s. to serve as a dressing or topping for a sundae. In such case, the slide valve section is arrested in position to open the intake passage 23 without displacing the valve head 29 from the valve seat [4, as shown in Fig. 4; if, however, the slide valve section ii is moved beyond such arrested position, it will engage and thrust open the valve head 29 for discharge of the body liquid together with the flavoring liquid for a beverage mixing and dispensing operation (see Fig. 5). If the faucet is thus arranged to permit independent discharge of the flavoring liquid, it is desirable to provide means for yieldably detaining the slide valve section in the position wherein the intake passage 23 is opened without moving the valve head to open condition; said means being also adapted to indicate the attainment of such position by the resistance it offers to further outswing of the faucet hand lever 35 when such position of the valve piece and its slide valve section is reached. Means for this purpose is also shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and comprises, illustratively, a spring pressed check ball 38 which is mounted in connection with the faucet body IG so as to be engageable with an annular stop groove 39, with which the valve piece I6 is provided, when the latter completes an initial movement adapted to carry the valve port 28 of the slide valve section ll' into opening relation to the intake passage 23, as shown in Fig. 4.

Having now described my improved dispensing faucet, I claim:

1. A dispensing faucet comprising a faucet body having a longitudinal chamber and a discharge spout leading therefrom, said faucet chamber terminating at its inner end in a valve chamber defining an intermediate valve seat, said valve chamber having a rearwardly open end for admission of one liquid to the faucet, a valve head cooperative with said valve seat for control of admission of said one liquid longitudinally into the faucet chamber, said faucet chamber having a side entering intake means for a second liquid which is spaced outwardly beyond said first liquid admission means, a valve piece axially aligned with the valve head and longitudinally movable in the faucet chamber, said valve piece havinga slid-e valve section movable across the side entering intake means in slidable contact therewith, said slide valve section having a transverse valve port cooperative with the side entering intake means for the control of admission of the second liquid into the faucet chamber, said slide valve section being aligned with and opposed to the valve head, a lost motion connection between the silde valve section and the valve head and means for actuating the valve piece and its slide valve section and the valve head by the latter.

2. A dispensing faucet according to claim 1, wherein said lost motion connection comprises a stem forwardly projecting from the valve head, and the slide valve section having a slideway to telescopically receive said stem.

3. A dispensing faucet comprising a faucet body having a longitudinal chamber and a discharge spout leading therefrom, said faucet chamber terminating at its inner end in a valve chamber defining a valve seat, said valve chamber having a rearwardly open end for admission of one liquid to the faucet, a spring closed valve head cooperative with said valve seat for the control of admission of said one liquid longitudinally into said faucet chamber, said faucet chamber having a side enteringintake means for a second liquid spaced outwardly beyond said first liquid admission means, a valve piece axially aligned with said valve head and longitudinally movable in said faucet chamber, said valve piece having an axially extending slide valve section, said slide valve section having a flat face opposed to said side entering intake means and a transverse valve port extending therethrough from said fiat face for cooperation with said side intake means, the side intake means including a spring pressed thrust block having an intake passage, said thrust block having a resilient sealing means surrounding the discharge end of said intake passage and adapted to engage the flat face of said slide valve section, said slide valve section being opposed to said valve head, a lost motion connection between the free end of said slide valve section and said valve head and means for actuating said valve piece and its valve section and the valve head by the latter.

4. A dispensing faucet comprising a faucet body having a longitudinal chamber and a discharge spout leading therefrom, said faucet chamber terminating at its inner end in a valve chamber defining a valve seat. said valve chamber having a rearwardly open end for admission of one liquid to the faucet, a spring closed valve head cooperative with said valve seat for the control of admission of one liquid longitudinally into said faucet chamber, said faucet chamber having a side entering intake means for a second liquid spaced outwardly beyond said valve head, a slidable valve means in said faucet chamber movable across the side entering intake means in slidable contact therewith, said slidable valve means having a port cooperative with said side entering intake means for the control of admission of the second liquid into said faucet chamber, and means to actuate said slidable valve means, said slidable valve means being aligned with and opposed to said valve head in lost motion relation thereto, whereby an initial independent movement of the slidable valve means is adapted to bring its port into communication with said side entering intake means without imparting opening movement to the valve head whereby to permit independent discharge of the second liquid from the faucet, and yieldable detent means for determining said relation of the slidable valve means to the side entering intake means.

HERMAN H. HARR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,291,563 Rotter July 28, 1942 2,373,294 Cornelius Apr. 10, 1945 2,453,004 Engstrom Nov. 2, 1948 

